Mushroom Soup

A few weeks ago, I sent out a request for wintery Farm Market recipes from my readers. Of the entries received, I’ve chosen what I think is a fabulous, simple recipe to share with you.This recipe for Mushroom Soup, sent in by market-goer Penny Glover, is a perfect mix of fresh ingredients and easy techniques. The essential ingredients (mushrooms, onions, potatoes and garlic) can all be purchased from vendors at the market. Other ingredients such as fennel seed and crushed red pepper are available at your local grocery store.This Sunday I will be making this soup at the market and giving out samples. Each ingredient comes from a different vendor (which I have noted in parentheses). Knob Hall Winery will be joining us that day, so I’ll use their red wine. Mushrooms are the star of this recipe and The Mushroom Stand’s assortment is the perfect option for anyone unsure of which fungi would work best.

Penny Glover’s Farm Market Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil (All Things Olive)
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 large onion, diced (Two Acres Farm)
• 2 Yukon gold potatoes, diced (Twin Springs Fruit Farm)
• 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (Spiral Path Farm)
• 1 tsp. chopped rosemary, finely chopped
• Fresh or dried tarragon, finely chopped, to taste
• Crushed red pepper, to taste
• ½ cup red wine (Knob Hall Winery)
• 5 cups of assorted fresh mushrooms, diced (The Mushroom Stand)
• 4 cups vegetable stock*
• Sea salt and crushed black pepper to taste

*For those wanting to add a bit more flavor, Painted Hand Farm sells veal, chicken, and beef bone broth.Preparation:Heat olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat.Add fennel seeds and toast lightly.Add onion and potato and sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, tarragon, crushed red pepper and a generous pinch of salt, and cook until fragrant, about a minute.Stir in red wine for about a minute and then add mushrooms.Cook until bubbling and gradually add stock and simmer for about 10 minutes.Let soup cool a little before pureeing in batches.Enjoy with a nice, crusty piece of bread or stop by Liberty Delight Farm to pick up a nice roast to serve it with!Thanks again to Penny Glover and the other readers who sent in recipes! And don’t forget to stop by the Bethesda Central Farm Market this Sunday, December 14 between 10 and 12pm to get a delicious taste of this soup!